coyote stalking my dogs?

[tchunter]

I was in the yard yesterday with my dogs when some movement caught my eye. I was sitting off to the side while the dogs were running around when I caught the movement, it was a coyote sneaking through the fence row. I didn't want the dogs to chase it so I called them to me. As the dogs ran to me the coyote came out into the open following them across the yard. Luckily I held their attention long enough to get them inside and grab a rifle. When I came out the coyote was gone. What's up with that?

[gyvel]

Maybe the coyote thought you were calling it, too.

[buck460XVR]

Coyotes around here have hungry pups right now. House pets(depending on size) can be easy prey. Generally 'yotes are extremely wary of humans and your obvious presence(calling the dogs) combined with the 'yote's lack of fear may mean the 'yote has more problems than just hungry pups.

[m.p.driver]

Been having a problem with them for several years now in Ohio.They started taking neighborhood pets so we eradicate them when we get a chance.

[Mobuck]

If discretion allows, carry the rifle constantly until you get another chance. Once the coyote has decided an easy meal is close, it will return.
During winter and spring, I carry a rifle anytime I'm outside and keep a rifle in the pickup, tractor, and barn in case I failed to carry one.

[tchunter]

I agree that there might be something wrong with the coyote. There are so many around here they wake us up at night when they are all yipping and howling. I have a rifle in position now for the next round. I'm guessing they won't be real happy with my 25-06!

[Irish B]

That's why I have big dogs!! A German Shepard and a Husky/wolf. It is not unusual for a coyote to stalk dogs just purely out of curiosity. Also it's not uncommon for a pack to use a female to lure dogs away so that the pack can attack

[shortwave]

Yotes got ahold of neighbors dog in broad daylight a couple-three weeks ago. Full grown, big, male lab. Dog was in yard between house and barn. Dog lived but needed a trip to the vet to get sewn up.

Whether or not there was something wrong with the yote(sick wise) stalking your dog is questionable. Although yotes are usually wary of humans, they will come close if they've never felt threatened by humans and have succeeded in finding something to eat in the process.
Reports of yotes in suburban housing projects are not uncommon. Just means these particular yotes have become more comfortable hunting prey closer to humans due to the fact they've not yet been given a reason to leave and not come back. In other words, the yotes rewards(prey) has become greater then their risks.

That's why I have big dogs!! A German Shepard and a Husky/wolf.

There are benefits of owning a big dog and living in the middle of the woods.
There's also a downside.
Yotes are around here year round but every Sept.(or there abouts) seems they are very vocal. When they get talking at night, our shephard goes out of his mind. Runs through the house growling,snarling and then, he starts to howling as almost trying to communicate with them. This goes on till I get out of bed and fire 2-3 shotgun blasts down into the ravine.
Before I retired, this made getting up for work @ 0400 very aggravating.

[JohnKSa]

My next door neighbor nearly lost his dachsund to a coyote some years back. He heard a ruckus in the back yard and looked out to see a coyote trying to jump back over his 4ft chainlink fence with the dachsund in its mouth. It couldn't make the jump with the dachsund. When he ran out into the yard, the coyote dropped the dachsund, which was not hurt badly, and made its escape.

[vandyatc]

I was within 20' of one in Louisville last weekend in a metro park. It wasn't the slightest bit worried about me. It ran out of the woods and into a neighborhood when I rode by and he deemed me to be no threat. I think he was looking for a schnauzer breakfast...

[4V50 Gary]

Even if your dog is bigger than the coyote, the coyote will lure it away where the pack can take down the bigger dog.

[Double Naught Spy]

Generally 'yotes are extremely wary of humans and your obvious presence(calling the dogs) combined with the 'yote's lack of fear may mean the 'yote has more problems than just hungry pups.

The yotes that are most wary of humans are yotes that haven't spent much time around them. If you have a yote that is used to cruising through your neighborhood, he won't be nearly as wary. Coyotes often do quite well living in close proximity to humans.

[ltc444]

in the Phoenix valley it is not unusual for coyotes to take dogs in the back yards. Hikers have actually had dogs grabbed while they were on leashes. There is one reported case of a yote going through a doggie door and eating a Pomerian on the owners living room floor.

The problem is that coyotes have become so familiar with humans, (idiots feeding them) that they do not fear us. Depending on your local laws, I would carry a pistol with me when ever I take my dogs out.

[gyvel]

The last time I was at The Sonora Desert Museum outside of Tucson, we had a little picnic lunch under one of the ramadas outside the entrance. The coyotes just came right up like ordinary dogs expecting a handout. Not good.

[rickyrick]

One hunting method is to use a dog that's been trained to lure a coyote back to shooting range.

[hogdogs]

Then there are the "yote doggers" who may or may not use a firearm at all...
the third attachment Is of the hounds on a yote... no blood and gore but I don't wanna be accused of not givin' warning...

These are are from one of our northern midwest states...

Brent

[rickyrick]

Those are pretty cool pics

[gyvel]

The photos show the exact same thing that the coyotes would do to a solo hunting dog if the tables were turned. They are both DOGS, and their instincts and behaviors under similar circumstances are identical. Feral dogs would do this to both another dog OR a coyote.

I have an ongoing understanding with coyotes. Stay on the Forest Service side of the fence and there will be NO problems. Cross that line and you will get shot if I see you. Unfortunately, they sneak across at night and have decimated my cat population, even the "coyote smart" ones. (I need cats around for rodent control.)

In defense of our local coyotes, they do play an important part in controlling the rabbit population. This year, there has been a bumper crop of jack rabbits and cottontails for some reason. Something needs to be done to keep them under control.

Coyotes, much like nuclear power, are a double edged sword. They are very useful as part of the ecosystem, but the constant encroachment of humans on their habitat has forced them to become migratory and they are now spread virtually from coast to coast. Familiarity with humans has caused many of them to lose their fear of people and civilization with the obvious bad results.

Thankfully, my dogs keep them at bay if they detect their presence, but, since my pups are getting a bit older, they aren't as sharp as they used to be.

[Deja vu]

I posted this last year but ill post it again.

I was out sighting in my J-Frame 640 (357 magnums). The gun has a Crimson Trace grips on it and I was having problems getting it to stay on target.

Just so you know this gun is very loud.

I was shooting in a place I dont go that often but pretty near to where I do a lot of shotgun shooting. I had shot may be 10 rounds when I get this weird feeling. I looked around but did not see any thing. I reloaded my pistol and then I felt it again. I looked around and then I see it. There was a Coyote about 10 feet from me. It looked really sick. It was sneaking up on me really low.

Well I did not want it to bite me so I turned the gun on the Coyote. I examined the Coyote a little with a long sick and I could tell it only had 3 legs. After trying (in vain) to get the laser sight to work right I reported the animal to fish and game in Pocatello. I never heard back what happened. I did later see the fish and game officer up in that area a few times. When I talked to him he did not know about the incident but he was called up there to check on reports of Coyotes attacking peoples dogs. He said that there where several reports last year.

[tchunter]

Those are some great pics! One of my dogs is a wiemeraner about 90lbs., the other an australian shepard about 65lbs. I've trained both to track blood, so they spend a lot of time in the woods. The only problem is they have a bad habbit of chasing coyotes. With the number of yotes around this area I didn't want them to go meet the pack. Well anyway maybe this will send a message, not the biggest but he paid the price!

[tchunter]

Those are some great pics! One of my dogs is a wiemraner about 90lbs., the other an australian shepard about 65lbs. I've trained both to track blood, so they spend a lot of time in the woods. The only problem is they have a bad habit of chasing coyotes. With the number of yotes around this area I didn't want them to go meet the pack. Well anyway maybe this will send a message, not the biggest but he paid the price!

[tchunter]

Well sorry for the suspense but my phone doesn't want to load the pic. Stand by. Never mind, it went real crazy!

[rickyrick]

Coozie in one hand and a coyote in the other......life is great

["JJ"]

In my opinion, the coyote will come in after your dogs for either territorial, breeding or feeding issues. Right now, depending on location, the female should be bred and getting ready to drop a litter so I would say either the coyote perceived your dogs as a threat or a meal. I wouldn't assume that there was something "wrong" with the coyote (mange or rabies) just from its presence. The coyote will patrol its territory on a regular basis to keep every inch of it from a neighboring family unit. Depending on your dogs, my guess would be it was looking for a meal. I have four different places I hunt that lost family pets to coyotes. In fact while reading this thread, I just got a call from another land owner who had three coyotes hassling his full grown yellow lab Amos this morning! What a coincidence! This guy has a small property but the neighboring properties make his location a prime coyote spot. I have called and killed four coyotes on this place in the last year. Coyotes are cunning creatures! Never underestimate them! Good luck with your problem!

[rickyrick]

JJ,

What calls are you finding effective this time of year? I'm gonna try to hunt them throughout the summer this year, I assume the regular dinner bell calls would work with maybe some pup distress.

I never seriously hunted them in the summer, just the occasional got lucky and had seen them before they saw me.

On a side note, I am always amazed at how many I see just sitting and watching me when I have no rifle. I think they can smell gun oil, LOL.